Best bets
Author speaks in Woodstock: Community Unit District 200 and McHenry County Health Department will host author and motivational speaker Robert Sweetgall. He will bring his message of wellness through walking and active living at 7 p.m. today in the Learning Resource Center at Woodstock High School, 501 W. South St., in Woodstock. The seminar, free to the public, is sponsored by McHenry County Department of Health and District 200.
Sweetgall, the author of 17 books on the subject, has appeared on such television shows as CBS Morning News, NBC Today Show, Regis and Kathy Lee Live as well as National Public Radio.
Motivated by a family history of heart disease, Sweetgall gave up his job as a chemical engineer at DuPont to inspire others toward a healthier lifestyle. He has walked across America seven times and logged 11,208 miles through all 50 states in one year.
Prior to the presentation, Sweetgall will lead a community "sunset stride" at 6 p.m. through Emricson Park, Route 14 and Kishwaukee Valley Road to demonstrate the Nordic Walking technique which is effective as a total-body workout to improve cardiovascular capacity, burn more calories and reduce stress on hips, knees, feet and ankles. For details, call Meaghan Haak, MCDH, (815) 334-4510 or District 200 Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, (815) 334-3410.
Bring pets to parade: The Bark Park of Lake in the Hills is reminding members to bring their dog(s) to the Sunset Festival on at 9:30 a.m. Saturday to join the parade. Meet at the Bark Park. Doggie costumes are optional.
"Singing in the Rain": Due to the rainy weather on Aug. 18, the Elgin Cultural Arts Commission's Summer Film Series has rescheduled its showing of the movie "Singing in the Rain." It will be shown at dusk on Saturday at Festival Park, Grove Avenue and Prairie Street in downtown Elgin. For information, call Gil Feliciano at (847) 931-6019.
Kane County Flea Market: The Kane County Flea Market will be from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Kane County Fairgrounds, on Randall Road between routes 38 and 64 in St. Charles. Admission is $5 for adults or free for children 12 and younger. Parking is free. For details, call (630) 377-2252 or visit www.Kanecountyflea market.com.
Lights on the Lake: The Crystal Lake Park District's annual Lights on the Lake will be from 5 to 11 p.m. Sunday at Main Beach on Lake Shore Drive, Crystal Lake. The lighted boats pass by on the lake with live music by Mr. Myers. There will be a beer garden and food vendors. Admission is $2. For details, call (815) 459-0680 or visit www.crystallakeparks.org.
Fit for Life Run canceled: The McHenry County College Fit for Life 5K Walk/Run 2007 scheduled for Sunday has been canceled due to flooding at Lippold Park in Crystal Lake. The event will reschedule for next year. For details, call Nikki Lewis, MCC Fitness Center, at (815) 455-8551.
Young Eagles Rally: Children, age 8 to 17, interested in aviation or just wanting to experience the joy of flight are invited to take a free airplane ride to promote aviation in the community. EAA Chapter 101 will have a Young Eagles Rally from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 2, weather permitting, at Schaumburg Airport, off Irving Park Road and Wright Boulevard. Many different types of airplanes are available. All are welcome. To register or for information, call Chuck Soumar at (708) 788-6390 or e-mail youngeagles101@aol.com
Continuing …
"Measure for Measure": Janus Theatre presents the Fox Valley premiere of "Measure for Measure" by William Shakespeare on Fridays through Sundays until Sept. 9 at the Elgin Art Showcase on the eighth floor of the Professional Building, 164 Division St., Elgin. The play is set in pre-war Vienna during the 1920's -- a time when politics, morality and law competed to impose order on a fading older world. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, starting this weekend through Sept. 9. There is no show on Sept. 2.
Tickets are $15, $12 for students and seniors, and $10 each for groups of 10 or more. For reservations, call (847) 931-0637. For information, visit the Web site www.janustheatre.org.
Upcoming …
Sun City Concert Band: The Sun City Concert Band will perform at the Fountain View Amphitheatre in Sun City at 4 p.m. Monday. The band will be joined by the Sun City Prairie Voices. This is the first time the two groups will perform together. Each group has a program with a diverse selection of music; from "golden oldies" and pop tunes to jazz. The combined performance will include patriotic songs. Bring lawn chair or blanket to enjoy a leisurely afternoon on the grass. In case of rain, the concert will move to Drendel Hall. For information, call Donna Bressler at (847) 669-7373.
"Once Upon a Mattress": The Fox Valley Theatre Company will present the Broadway musical classic, "Once Upon a Mattress," in September at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theatre, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
The show is an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale, "The Princess and the Pea." That tale is a story of a queen who is seeking a wife for her son. Her screening process includes putting a pea under 20 mattresses of the guest-room bed slept on by the prospective brides because the queen knows a true princess could never sleep with such discomfort. Once Upon a Mattress takes the original story and adds many hilarious twists and turns. The production will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 7-8, 14-15; and 3 p.m. Sundays, Sept 9 and 16. One performance for schools is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Sept. 14. Cost for the public performances is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors.
For tickets, call the ECC box office at (847) 622-0300 or visit Web site www.elgin.edu/arts2index. asp and click on the "Theatre and Dance Events" link. Cost for the school show is $8 per student; educators should call (847) 214-7550 to reserve tickets. For information about the show, go to www.cteelgin.com.
Hosta Happening: A Hosta Happening is set from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 8 at Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery Inc., 11618 McConnell Road in Woodstock. All proceeds will benefit Heifer International.
Hosta sales will be held all day featuring more than 350 varieties. Sales are by cash or check only. Refreshments will be provided.
Heifer International staff and volunteers will be available to answer any questions about the charity.
From 10 a.m. to noon, Tom Michiletti, president of the American Hosta Society, will be available to identify your unknown hosta leaves.
At 1 p.m. Rich Eyre will present Conifers for the Shade Garden. Take a walk with him and learn what conifers and plants grow in the shade. A verbal auction of rare and unusual hostas will be held at 3 p.m.
All sales of the 350-plus varieties of hostas benefit Heifer International, an international charity that leads hungry people to self-reliance through sharing farm animals. For information, call Foxwillow at (815)338-7442.
Punt, Pass and Kick: The Parks & Recreation Department of Lake in the Hills invites all the football enthusiasts to head out to Sunset Park from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 8 for the Punt, Pass and Kick competition. This free event for youth ages 8 to 15 will test both boys and girls in the separate areas of punting, passing and kicking.
Winners in each category will advance to a sectional competition at a nearby community.
Duckapalooza Music Festival: On Sept. 8, the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin will host the Biggers Chevrolet Fox Valley Duck Race. Along with this race will be a new event, "Duckapalooza Music Festival 07." The duck race will start at 2 p.m. with 15,000 ducks racing down the Fox River, just north of the new Festival Park in downtown Elgin. The first-place duck will win a car and one lucky duck may even win a $1 million. The music festival begins with a Battle of the Bands at noon. Four major acts including the Smithereens will perform from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. Activities that day for the family include face painting, kids free games, extreme moto-cross and a Circuit City games tent. Proceeds from the event benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin. Ducks can be adopted at any Elgin Area Jewel/Osco on the weekends or at www.elginducks.com. All proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin.
Antiques, Art and Collectibles Show: The Adult & Child Rehab Center will present the McHenry County Antiques, Art and Collectibles Show for the 24th year. The show will be on Sept. 8 and 9 at the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock.
The theme for this year's show will be, "Using Antiques, Art and Collectibles in the Modern Home." A special gallery booth will be set up to demonstrate ways to achieve this look. The booth will have new items as well as merchandise coming from the show's dealers. All items will be for sale.
A new feature in this year's show is antique appraisals which will be from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 9. Customers can have free appraisals for up to three items.
Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7 per person. Proceeds will benefit the Adult and Child Rehab Center. For details, call (815) 338-1707 or e-mail acrc-pr@sbcglobal.net.